Experiences of Music Therapy Junior Faculty Members
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EXPERIENCES OF MUSIC THERAPY JUNIOR FACULTY MEMBERS: A NARRATIVE EXPLORATION CAROL ANN OLSZEWSKI Bachelor of Music The University of Iowa December 2001 Master of Arts: Music Therapy The University of Iowa December 2003 Submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN URBAN EDUCATION Cleveland State University December 2019 © Copyright by Carol A. Olszewski 2019 We hereby approve the dissertation of Carol A. Olszewski Candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education Degree, Adult, Continuing, and Higher Education This Dissertation has been approved for the Office of Doctoral Studies, College of Education and Human Services and CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY, College of Graduate Studies by ______________________________________________________ Dissertation Chairperson: Catherine Hansman, Ed.D. C.A.S.A.L. _________________________ Department & Date ______________________________________________ Methodologist: Anne Galletta, Ph.D. Curriculum and Foundations ____________ Department & Date _________________________________________ Outside Committee Member: Deborah Layman, M.M. Music ______________________________ Department & Date _______________________________________________ Committee Member: Karie Coffman, Ph.D. CEHS ESSC __________________________ Department & Date _______________________________________________________ Non-Voting Committee Member: Elice Rogers, Ed.D. C.A.S.A.L. ___________________________ Department & Date August 19, 2019 Candidate’s Date of Defense Dedication To God, that I choose the paths you intend me to travel and that I fight fiercely and bravely the battles you know are mine. Thank you for the countless blessing you have bestowed upon me, particularly my loved ones mentioned below, the persistence necessary to do the works you wish me to do, and the perspective to keep priorities straight. To Mark, my love, and the very best partner that I could ever dream to have. Thank you for taking up the slack while I pursued this thing…and all the other things. I love you, always. My successes would not be possible without your love and support. To my girls, who give me all the reasons necessary to be strong and resilient. I hope I make you proud, because being your mom is my greatest accomplishment and each of you is my greatest hope and my greatest contribution. To my parents, I hope I make you proud. You told me learning was my job. I hope it is one you believe me to do well. Thank you, Mom, for your support and your encouragement to keep going. Dad, I miss you, and I hope to be half the mentor to my students that you were to me and to yours. To my committee, I could not be more humbled to have such strong, intelligent, accomplished women guiding me along this journey. Thank you being model academics. I hope to make you proud not only in this endeavor but also in future endeavors. To my students, who teach me as much I hope to teach them. Dream big and persist. The best thing you can give to your clients is you. Thank you for silently insisting I do my best to make you all proud. EXPERIENCES OF MUSIC THERAPY JUNIOR FACULTY MEMBERS: A NARRATIVE EXPLORATION CAROL ANN OLSZEWSKI ABSTRACT Very few music therapists have educational background or training to be proficient at teaching at institutions of higher education. With only minimal (if any) training in andragogy and in research methodology, music therapy junior faculty (MTJF) members find themselves novice academics in the highly structured, competitive environment of the academy. In order for music therapists to be successful in their career change from clinical work to the academy, improvements and modifications to the education of future music therapy professors are likely, but data are necessary to intimate and to guide those changes. This narrative research study explored the lived experiences of nine MTJF members as they sought to become successful members in the academy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and participants reviewed their narratives. Transformative Learning Theory was used as the theoretical framework and social constructivism as the interpretive paradigm. This study’s findings indicated participants had similar experiences in their paths to music therapy, in their preparation for a future in higher education, in their pivotal relationships, in the tenure process, in their struggles, and in their knowledge of self. Recommendations for modifications to the music therapy graduate curriculum and for music therapy programs are made based on indications from the findings. These modifications include expanding opportunities for teaching, researching, and exposure to institutional politics; implementing extensive professor- v graduate student mentorship; requiring a doctoral degree for tenure-track positions; extending professor mentorship to junior faculty members; developing a textbook on the academy for potential music therapy professors; and striving for improved diversity in graduate programs. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………....v LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………… xiii LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………….…….xiv CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………...1 Music Therapy………………………………………………….....1 Hierarchy of the Academy………………………………………...2 Career Transition and Socialization…………………………….....3 Personal Experience…………………………………………….....8 Problem…………………………………………………………..10 Purpose…………………………………………………………...10 Research Questions………………………………………………11 Narrative Design…………………………………………………11 Theoretical Framework…………………………………………..12 Interpretive Paradigm…………………………………………….13 Significance………………………………………………………13 Conclusion………………………………………………...……..14 Definitions……………………….……………………………….15 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE……………………………………………17 Professionalization of Music Therapy………………………...…18 History of music therapy………………………………....18 vii Early publications………………………………..19 Early practitioners and educators………………...19 College programs develop……………………….24 Current education in music therapy…………………...…26 Hierarchy and Structure of the Academy………………………...27 Historical context of academy development……………..28 Current context of academy development……………….31 Faculty Socialization……………………………………………..33 Acculturation……………………………………………..33 Interpersonal interactions and relationships……………...35 Historical context of tense relationships…………37 Contemporary academic incivility……………….40 Mentorship……………………………………….42 Gender differences……………………………………….44 Career Transition………………………………………………...46 Occupational development……………………………….46 Transition to the academy………………………………..48 Transition from clinicians to academics…………………53 Professional Identity Development………………………………56 Music Therapy Faculty Perspectives…………………………….58 Conclusion……………………………………………………….60 III. METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………62 Design……………………………………………………………62 viii Research questions……………………………………………….63 Conceptual framework…………………………………………...64 Theoretical framework – Transformative Learning Theory…......65 Interpretive paradigm…………………………………………….70 Context…………………………………………………………...72 Participants……………………………………………………….72 Data collection…………………………………………………...73 Set one interviews………………………………………..75 Set two interviews………………………………………..76 Interview question development for Set One interviews...77 Interview question development for Set Two interviews..78 Analysis……………...….………………………………………..79 Transcription……………………………………..............79 Coding……………………………………………………79 Ethical considerations…………………..….…………………….81 Confidentiality…………………....……………………...82 Researcher role…………………………………………………...82 Subjectivity…………………………………...………………….84 Trustworthiness…………………………………………………..85 Terminology………………………………………….......85 Trustworthiness and rigor………………………………..86 Summary…………………………………………………………88 IV. NARRATIVES………………………………………………….…….....89 ix Retelling……………………………………………………….....90 Allie………………………………………………………………91 Ken……………………………………………………….……..102 Lynn……………………………………………………….....…108 Kasey……………………………………………………………116 Maura……………………………………………………...……124 Kris…………………………………………………………...…132 Tori…………………………………………………………...…139 Summary………………………………………………………..146 V. FINDINGS……………………………………………………………...148 Response to questions…………………………………………..149 Path to music therapy…………………………………………...153 Experiences that led to music therapy………………….153 Connection to disability………………………………...154 Preparation of career in higher education………………………155 Love of supervision……………………………………..155 Educational experiences………………………………..156 Positive educational experiences……………….156 Gaps in educational experiences………………..158 Pivotal relationships…………………………………………….159 Influential persons leading to music therapy…………...160 Mentor professors………………………………………161 Recruited by mentor professors………………...162 x Coached by mentor professors………………….163 Trusted allies……………………………………………165 Tenure…………………………………………………………..168 Clarity and ambiguity…………………………………..168 Generous feedback……………………………………...170 Struggles………………………………………………………..172 Establishing academic autonomy……………………….172 Management of workload and beyond………………….175 Vulnerability……………………………………………178 Gatekeeper……………………………………………...179 Knowledge of self………………………………………………181 Development from struggles……………………………181 PhD sets up future………………………………………182 Self as learner…………………………………………...183 Self as educator…………………………………………187 Summary………………………………………………………..189 VI. DISCUSSION ……....……..…………………………………….…..…190 Research question one: Lived experiences……………………..191 Research question two: Gaining institutional knowledge………197 Research question three: Identity development………………...199 Overarching